Maia Mitchell: Belle less plucky and perky in 'Artful Dodger' S2

Actress says her character faces high stakes after surviving a health crisis and seeing her lover jailed

Mar. 16, 2026 at 5:35am

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Maia Mitchell, who plays Lady Belle Fox in the Hulu series "The Artful Dodger," says her character is more serious in Season 2 after surviving a personal health crisis and seeing her lover, Jack Dawkins (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), locked behind bars. Mitchell says Belle has "lost a bit of her innocence and a bit of her naivete" and is now "facing the real possibility of death" for Jack. Meanwhile, Susie Porter, who plays Belle's mother Lady Jane, says her character will do anything to keep the young couple apart, even if it means giving Belle an ultimatum to renounce Jack or see him hanged.

Why it matters

The Artful Dodger is a Hulu original series based on the characters from Charles Dickens' classic novel Oliver Twist, set in 19th century Australia. The show explores themes of class, power, and the consequences of love and ambition, as the characters navigate the high-stakes world of colonial Australia.

The details

In Season 2, Mitchell's character Belle is facing the aftermath of the events of Season 1, where she survived a life-threatening surgery. Now, she is "running for Jack's life" and advocating for the "love of her life" who is "facing the real possibility of death." Meanwhile, Porter's character Lady Jane is determined to keep Belle and Jack apart, even if it means giving Belle an ultimatum to renounce Jack or see him hanged. The show also introduces a new character, Police Inspector Henry Boxer (Luke Bracey), who is described as the "antithesis" of Jack and a "good man" that Lady Jane would advocate for as a potential suitor for Belle.

  • Six months after the finale of Season 1

The players

Maia Mitchell

The actress who plays Lady Belle Fox in "The Artful Dodger."

Thomas Brodie-Sangster

The actor who plays Jack Dawkins, the show's dashing title character, who is in love with Lady Belle.

Susie Porter

The actress who plays Lady Jane, Belle's mother, who is determined to keep Belle and Jack apart.

Luke Bracey

The actor who plays Police Inspector Henry Boxer, a new character described as the "antithesis" of Jack and a "good man" that Lady Jane would advocate for as a potential suitor for Belle.

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What they’re saying

“We're meeting Belle six months after the finale of Season 1 and it's a very different Belle. She's, literally, running for Jack's life when we see her. So, she's physically recovered, although there is always the risk of rupture. So, that is kind of always at play.”

— Maia Mitchell

“She's kind of lost a bit of her innocence and a bit of her naivete. She has survived a life-or- death surgery. She's spent six months advocating for the love of her life, who's facing the real possibility of death and a horrible death. When we see her, she's facing that within minutes. So, you're seeing kind of an evolved Belle and less plucky and perky, that's for sure.”

— Maia Mitchell

“If people knew what Lady Belle and Jack got up to, their social standing, everything would be ruined, our reputation. Who knows where we'd be sent? To another colony? It is imperative, socially, for us to do that and, also, as a parent, to want the absolute best for their child.”

— Susie Porter

“Boxer is the antithesis of [Jack] and a really good man. Of course, naturally, Lady Jane would be advocating for Boxer as an option. He's a good person. He's educated. So, he and Belle are on the same kind of mental wavelength. He's easy on the eyes and charming.”

— Maia Mitchell

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Jack Dawkins out on bail.

The takeaway

The Artful Dodger explores the high-stakes consequences of love and ambition in 19th century colonial Australia, as the characters navigate issues of class, power, and personal sacrifice. The evolution of Maia Mitchell's character Lady Belle, from a more innocent and plucky persona to a more serious and hardened one, reflects the show's deeper exploration of these themes.